AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1-1 Petersfield Town

A Delroy Gordon header twelve minutes from time rescued a draw for AFC Rushden & Diamonds in their first ever match in the Southern Football League Division One Central against Petersfield Town on Saturday afternoon. 

 Diamonds had slightly the better of a keenly contested first half, with a Tommy Berwick deflected effort forcing a strong save from visiting goalkeeper Matt Short and Courtney Herbert flashing an effort over the bar after strong and direct approach play from Tom Lorraine. Petersfield took the lead in the 60th minute when a Jason Silver left wing cross was headed home by Stuart Green at the far post, but Rushden responded well with Steve Spriggs seeing a goalbound shot heroically blocked and Jack Ashton powering a free header at goal which was well saved. An equaliser was eventually found in the 78th minute when Gordon glanced home a long throw from the left by Sam Brown, and despite Lorraine firing wide when through on goal in the closing moments, a draw was very much a fair result for both sides.

 Manager Andy Peaks made three alterations to the side which had defeated Loughborough Dynamo in their final pre-season friendly last Saturday, with Liam Dolman, Brad Harris and Tommy Berwick all coming into the side. Delroy Gordon moved into the right back berth to allow Dolman to partner Jack Ashton in the centre, with Ollie Wilkinson and Liam Kilbride both being named amongst the substitutes. The visitors were on a 27 game unbeaten run in league fixtures which dated back to October 2014, and with both teams being new to the Southern League there was an expectant buzz in the atmosphere as the game kicked off.

 Rushden were on the offensive straight away with Courtney Herbert, Steve Spriggs and Tommy Berwick all providing pace and movement in an attempt to support the lone front-man Tom Lorraine. The first chance arrived in the sixth minute when a pinged diagonal ball out to the right side from Dolman found a rising Herbert who flicked the ball on to run onto. He sprinted away from Petersfield full-back Sean Wain and pulled the ball back for the on-rushing Dan Quigley to fire over from 15 yards out. 

 Spriggs especially was looking lively and dangerous in the opening periods, with his ability to find space in between Petersfield’s defence and midfield proving to be an effective source of Diamonds pressure. It was his free-kick after Lorraine had been felled that caused the Rams keeper Matt Shortt to punch the ball away to the left side of the penalty area. Berwick picked up the loose ball and after twisting and turning into a shooting position, hit a half volley which took a wicked deflection off Dan Sackman and forced a crucial diving save to his right from the Rams goalkeeper. Dolman was forced from the action shortly after as he received treatment, and the introduction of Wilkinson saw Gordon move into a central defensive position.

 Herbert then wriggled into some space on the left after 25 minutes following a flick on by Lorraine, but he could only drag his effort wide of the near post from the edge of the box.

 Petersfield, who won the Wessex League Premier Division last campaign to make it two promotions in a row, always represented a threat on the counter attack, and this was almost evidenced perfectly a minute after Herbert’s chance. A ball round the corner of the Diamonds central defence saw Ashton just fail to intercept, with striker Michael Dixon advancing up to the penalty area and jinking to make an opening for a weak shot which Matt Finlay easily gathered.

 A key facet of home striker Lorraine’s play is his hold-up play and quick and direct running at opposition defenders, and he produced one such run down the right channel to accelerate away from a visiting defender which led to a chance. He reached the byline and cut the ball back to Herbert shortly before the half-hour mark, but the resultant shot went over the bar as the Diamonds number 11 leant back. 

 Herbert and Lorraine were again involved 11 minutes before half-time as Lorraine flicked on a Sam Brown long throw into the path of the ex-Northampton man. He slipped inside and whilst running parallel to the penalty area played a neat pass into the path of Spriggs whose rasping effort was well charged down by Petersfield defender Jamie Ford.

 That was the final action of the first half as referee Mark Howes signalled the end of a well fought and even opening period.

 Half Time: AFC Rushden & Diamonds 0-0 Petersfield Town

 The second half commenced with both sides seeking to gain and sustain possession, and attempt to break through previously impregnable defences. In the 59th minute a Spriggs dead-ball from the left touchline pinballed around the box with Lorraine attempting a couple of efforts at goal, but the raising of the offside flag was spotted by the referee as the ball hit the side netting. 

 However, a minute later, the visitors took the lead. A gradual build-up down their left side led to winger Jason Silver whipping a cross to the far post where Stuart Green headed home beyond Finlay’s dive. The reaction of the Petersfield players and management showed how much it meant to them, and they almost extended their lead moments after, but Dixon slid an effort past the right post after being allowed to run at the home defence. 

 The Diamonds needed a strong response, and the introduction of new signing Claudiu Hoban gave the home side a new dimension and outlet down the left side. It was he, four minutes after being brought on, who managed to bundle his way through a couple of challenges before hitting a stinging shot from just inside the box which Shortt had to fend behind for a corner kick. From the resultant set-piece, Spriggs curled the ball to a completely unmarked Ashton 10 yards out, and though his header was powerful, Shortt was able to again punch the ball away from danger. 

 These two chances triggered a final 20 minutes which saw more and more Diamonds pressure in their search to find a leveller. In the 71st minute, Harris broke up the play in midfield which allowed Lorraine to latch onto possession and accelerate towards the Petersfield area. He squared the ball to Spriggs arriving on the right side, and with a clear shot seemingly at his mercy, Ford again produced a Herculean effort in blocking the effort which would have certainly troubled the visitors’ goalkeeper. The rebound fell to Harris, and his hooked effort dribbled wide of the far post. 

 With the home side pushing more men forward in these closing stages of the game, the centre of the field was becoming freer and more room was developing for counter breaks from the Rams. Ashton was forced to head behind under pressure after one such break, and the following corner was flicked wide by Dixon who perhaps should have done better.

 That chance proved to be costly as the Diamonds finally found their desired equaliser in the 78th minute. A throw-in close to the left corner flag allowed Brown to unleash another Rory Delap-esque launch into the middle, and with the keeper staying on his line, Delroy Gordon glanced a header which found the far corner of the goal. 

 The momentum was now firmly held by Rushden, and after Spriggs had seen a curling shot saved by Shortt, another Brown throw into the penalty area caused problems in the Petersfield backline. Despite the keeper half punching clear, Gordon was able to pitch the ball back into the danger-zone and Harris’ downward header was held by Shortt close to his left post. 

 There remained one last chance in the contest, and it fell to the Diamonds two minutes from the end of the regulation 90. Dan Quigley had constantly disrupted the visitors’ attempts to build a tempo and tigerish challenges and key interceptions were indicative of his first competitive performance for the Diamonds. Yet again he won the ball in midfield and laid the ball into Lorraine’s path, who in turn found substitute Scott Joseph. He gathered the ball and dinked a return ball through for Lorraine to run back onto and through on goal, but his left footed effort went agonisingly wide with a baying Peter de Banke terrace willing the ball into the net. 

 Despite a late corner for the visitors, both sides appeared relatively content with a point from this opening league game, and all that was left for Mark Howes to do was to signal the end of the encounter. 

 Full Time: AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1-1 Petersfield Town 

The Diamonds can be pleased with their performance as a whole in this fixture, but particular praise should be given to the strength of their defending and the response that was seen to Petersfield’s goal on the hour mark. The visitors also defended stoutly and proved a threat when counter attacking, and on a gloriously sunny day at the Dog & Duck, there were plenty of signs to suggest that Peaks’ side will be a strong team in this division. Diamonds’ next fixture sees them travel to Cambridgeshire to take on St Ives Town on Tuesday August 11. 

 Diamonds Man of the Match chosen by Match Sponsor Fuelsell: Matt Finlay

 Attendance: 530

 Match Report by Ollie Mortimer

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